Social Network Analysis Layout Algorithm under Ontology Model

Abstract

Social network analysis and visualization is an active area of study but good organizations of social network information are lacking. This paper proposes a domain ontologies model focusing on social network information, which abstracts the impersonal existences in social network information domain into some primary ontologies. The model is suitable for describing a wide variety of social network analysis and visualization methods. For overcoming the disadvantage of transitional force directed layout algorithms in social network structure analysis, we propose a Social Network Analysis Layout (SNAL) algorithm based on domain ontologies model. SNAL algorithm analyses the subgroups, the roles and the key attributes in social network. Then the results are used to improve the force directed layout algorithm, in both 2D and 3D visualization. Results with the case of terrorist information demonstrate its advantages in analyzing and displaying the structure of social network.